Another insider told the National Enquirer that Cruise had taken notice of Anderson after seeing her work in The Last Showgirl. They said: “The movie got people to see Pam in a very different light, including Tom. They’ve been in touch ever since.”
The source added: “[There’s] definitely a spark.”
The insider also claimed: “People have noticed it and mentioned it to Tom.”
Tom Cruise was apparently impressed with Pamela Anderson’s performance in The Last Showgirl. Photos / Getty Images
Anderson was most recently linked to Liam Neeson, 73, her co-star in the Naked Gun movie reboot.
Romance rumours surrounding the pair intensified during the film’s promotional tour last summer after the two appeared affectionate during interviews and red carpet appearances.
At the time, a source told Page Six that Anderson and Neeson were “figuring things out”.
In December, Anderson addressed the speculation directly and confirmed the pair had briefly dated after production on the comedy had ended.
She said: “We were romantically involved for a short while but only after we finished filming.”
Anderson also said: “I’m sure we’ll always be in each other’s lives.”
Cruise, meanwhile, remains one of Hollywood’s most closely watched stars following the continued success of the Mission: Impossible franchise and ongoing anticipation surrounding the actor’s next projects after Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Recent reports on his love life linked Cruise to actor Ana de Armas, 38, with claims the pair dated for several months before reportedly separating in October.
According to reports, de Armas became “uncomfortable” with “how fast things were moving in their relationship”.
Anderson has spoken openly in recent years about reclaiming control of her image after decades of tabloid scrutiny during her marriage to Tommy Lee, 63, and the fallout from the release of the couple’s private sex tape in the 1990s.
Her documentary Pamela, A Love Story revisited the period while also addressing the success of Baywatch, which turned her into one of the most recognisable television stars in the world during the 1990s.